The Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi Constituency, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has cautioned that economic hardship across the country remains severe despite the optimistic outlook presented by John Dramani Mahama in his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Contributing to the debate on the President’s address in Parliament on Friday, the former Information Minister argued that government statistics do not reflect the lived realities of many Ghanaians, particularly farmers, manufacturers and small service providers.
According to him, the Minority has recently undertaken visits to farming communities and agro-processing centres across the country and observed that many farmers are struggling to sell their produce due to limited liquidity in the economy.
He explained that rice farmers, for example, currently have large quantities of milled rice stored in barns but are unable to find buyers because there is little money circulating in the market.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said maize farmers in northern Ghana are facing similar challenges, noting that many borrowed funds to cultivate their crops but are now struggling to sell their harvest. He added that cashew farmers in the Bono and Ahafo areas are also experiencing declining prices and limited market opportunities.
The MP also raised concerns about the cocoa sector, indicating that both farmers and purchasing clerks are facing financial difficulties. In some instances, he warned, cocoa farm owners are reportedly considering selling their farms to illegal miners in search of better financial returns.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah also argued that manufacturers are under significant pressure due to rising production costs. He cited increases in electricity tariffs and higher prices for locally sourced raw materials as factors making it difficult for many Ghanaian manufacturers to remain competitive.
He added that service providers across the country, including hairdressers, welders, cold store operators and digital service workers, are also struggling to sustain their businesses due to increasing utility costs and reduced consumer spending.
While acknowledging the government’s focus on declining inflation figures, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah insisted that ordinary citizens measure economic performance through their daily cost of living rather than official statistical indicators.
The Ofoase-Ayirebi legislator also questioned government claims that one million jobs had been created within nine months, arguing that youth unemployment remains widespread across many constituencies.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah criticised what he described as the government’s tendency to rebrand existing programmes rather than introduce substantive new economic interventions. He cited the transformation of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company into the Ghana Gold Board and other renamed initiatives as examples.
The Minority MP also called for greater transparency on key financial matters, including motions filed in Parliament to investigate alleged losses related to gold transactions and the sale of portions of Ghana’s gold reserves.
